DIY Halloween Mason Jar Globes

Even though Halloween is not my favorite time of year, I do appreciate the creative process of those who love and embrace it.  I can see how fun it would be to create a haunted house or zombie apocalypse in the backyard.

For this particular craft, you can be as creative as you wish and the materials will vary, but here is what I used:

• Various sizes of jars
• Halloween figures such as skeletons, rats and spiders
• Glycerin
• Black Plasticine
• Purple or black glitter
• Wooden skewer
• Waterproof Crazy Glue
• Sandpaper
• Black spray paint (optional)

I found this plastic skeleton at our local party store and removed the skull and arms.

For a creepy display in a jar, take some Plasticine and form it into a mound; add glitter if you wish.

Stick it to the bottom of the jar. I used a wooden skewer to press the edges of the Plasticine down.

Place the skull and other items as you wish.

Fill with water. 

For an inverted jar, sand the bottom of the figure and the lid. You want to make it rough so the glue adheres.

Stick the figure to the bottom of the lid with waterproof glue and allow to dry.

Cover with Plasticine and glitter if you wish.

To create a “snow” globe, fill the jar with water and add a pinch of glitter and a dash of glycerin, to make the glitter fall slowly. Do not add too much glycerin, or the glitter will stick to the bottom.

Slowly insert a figure into the jar and close tightly.

Here are some of the globes I made. I spray-painted the lids black, but that’s entirely up to you.

For this one, I simply placed some white yarn and spiders inside a jar. I added water and skipped the glitter.

Have fun and use your imagination.

From : ehow

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DIY Carved Pumpkin Planters Tutorial

It’s officially pumpkin season! One of our favorite ways to decorate for fall is through the use of pumpkins and brightly colored autumn plant varieties. Today we’ll share how simple it can be to combine these two classic seasonal staples to create a welcoming (and living) fall array for the front porch, stairs and entryway to your home.

Things You’ll Need

• Sharp carving knife
• Large spoon or scraper
• Large bowl
• Power drill or screwdriver
• Gardening gloves
• Gardening trowel
• Gardening soil

Start by selecting pumpkins and the coordinating plants you’ll pair them with. Look for pumpkins that will easily accommodate the size of the potted plants you choose. We went with a mix of fall plant varieties such as mums, ornamental versions of peppers and kale. Choose styles and colors that speak to you, and opt for plants that thrive in an autumn climate.

Using a sharp knife, cut the tops from the pumpkins as if you were making a jack-o’-lantern. Cut a wide enough diameter to account for each plant.

Scoop the seeds and roughly scape the innards from each pumpkin to clean them out.

Tip:Don’t toss those seeds! Save them to make a nice seasonal batch of roasted pumpkin seeds. Find our favorite recipe here.

Using a power drill (or screwdriver and muscle), puncture four holes through the bottom of each pumpkin to allow for drainage.

Fill the base of each pumpkin planter with a layer of garden soil, and then gently fit each plant into its respective pumpkin, adding more soil as needed to fill the pumpkin.

Give each planter a healthy watering, and it’s time to decorate!

These pumpkin planters work really well to brighten up a front stoop or stairwell and would make for a fun “living centerpiece” for fall gatherings, parties and even weddings.

Looking for more pumpkin projects? See how we’ve decorated them in the past using doilies, paint and painter’s tape, and learn how to create surprisingly beautiful designs using a power drill.

Cheers,
Mary & Tim

From : ehow

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DIY Braided Leather & Chain Bracelet

This braided leather and chain bracelet DIY showcases how combining different textures can add an element of the unexpected to your look. Scrap leather is wrapped around heavy duty chain, bit by bit. The end result? An interesting effect that looks just like a braid. Follow the step-by-step tutorial below.

Supplies:

- Scissors
- 3-in-1 pliers
- Scrap leather or pleather
- Heavy-duty curb chain (wrist measurement)
- Large jewelry clasp
- 10mm jump rings (2)

1. Cut a strip of leather measuring just under 1/2 inch wide and at least 24 inches long.

2. Lay the curb chain flat on your work surface–this will make braiding the leather around each link easier. Insert the leather through the first link, adjusting it so you have an equal length of leather on each side.

3. Bring the upper strand over the lower strand.

4. Insert it through the second chain link and bring it to the left.

5. Bring this strand over to the right side, folding it over the chain link.

6. Take the upper strand and lay it over the lower one.

7. Insert it through the third chain link.

8. Bring it over to the right side, folding it over the chain link.

9. Repeat this sequence (Steps 3-8) until you have reached the end. Tie a tight double knot.

10. Trim away the excess.

11. Attach a jewelry clasp to one end using a jump ring. Attach a second jump ring to the opposite end. This completes your bracelet.

Once you start wrapping the leather around the chain, the surprisingly easy nature of this technique will unfold. It’s much simpler than it looks! To style your new bracelet, pair it with thinner bracelets in coordinating colors and materials for an awesome set of arm candy.

Photo credits: Kirsten Nunez (Step-by-Step Tutorial) & Haruka Sakaguchi of The Denizen Co. (Street Style)

From : ehow

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